Rome Man Arrested After Patrol Car Was Hit During Unrelated Traffic Stop

UPDATE: 04/01/2015  9:15am    An arrest has been made in last night's three-car accident involving a Rome police officer.

Rome Police say 66-year old Mark A. Neiss crashed his minivan into the rear of Officer Hollie Kennedy's patrol car.

Kennedy was sitting in the vehicle, which had its emergency lights on, following a traffic stop on Chestnut Street.

The patrol car then slammed into the rear of the vehicle that Kennedy had stopped.

Kennedy suffered injuries to her neck and back.  She was treated at Rome Hospital and released on April 1, 2015.

Following their investigation police arrested Neiss and charged him with driving while intoxicated and assault in the third degree.  His dog, who was in the vehicle at the time, had his leg broken in the accident and was brought for treatment by Rome Animal Control officers.

Original Story:

A three-car accident involving a Rome Police officer is under investigation.

The accident took place on Chestnut Street (Route 825) at 7:45pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2015.

The name of the officer, and the names of the others involved, has not yet been released.  The officer is being treated at Rome Hospital for undisclosed injuries.

Captain Timothy Bates with the Rome Police Department says that more information is pending an investigation by the department's Accident Reconstruction Unit.